Moving right along…
Gari dutifully strode into Sigismund's classroom that night, her head held high. Sigismund was at his desk grading papers, and he spared her only the briefest glance when she walked in.
"Take a seat, Miss Bennett," Sigismund said curtly.
Hesitating only slightly, Gari sat down. Trying to keep her tone polite, she asked, "What am I doing tonight?"
"Just lines," Sigismund replied.
Gari's eyebrows shot up. She'd been expecting something much worse, but Sigismund seemed slightly mellow tonight, and he didn't look as harsh as usual. His hair was out of its usual ribbon, and it made him look younger. His eyes were as haunted and deadened as usual, though.
After a few brief moments, he walked over to where she sat to give her ink, a quill, and about twenty pages of parchment.
"Fill them all in with lines saying 'I will not use vulgar language to describe my teacher'," Sigismund told her, returning to his desk.
Gari sighed and began to write, and for a about a half hour, there was only the sound of parchment rustling and the scratch of quills. Her wrist aching, Gari paused and massaged her fingers for a few minutes. She picked up her quill to continue writing, but then glanced up at Sigismund and stopped.
"I'm not sorry," Gari told him bluntly.
Sigismund raised an eyebrow. "Few students are when they break rules."
"I mean…," Gari sighed in frustration. "I'm not sorry I called you that, but I am sorry for you."
Sigismund paused. "I beg your pardon?"
"I feel sorry for you," Gari repeated.
"Would you care to tell me why?" Sigismund asked, putting down his quill and folding his hands gracefully.
"Well…I already know about you and Professor Stiffien-," Gari began, but Sigismund held up a hand for her to stop.
"Trust me, Miss Bennett, you do not know nearly as much about Mar-Professor Stiffien and I as you think," Sigismund began to look toward his word again.
"I know that you're still in love with her," Gari pressed on, half cheering herself and half cursing herself. "I know that…that she left you." Gari spoke the last part softly, being very cautious of treading on that territory again.
"And do you know why she left me?" Sigismund asked.
"Well, no-"
"Then you're really in no position to judge, are you?" Sigismund's icy tone was back. "It so happens that our relationship ended after a bitter misunderstanding. One I've tried to correct, but Professor Stiffien is in no mood to listen. She hasn't been for the past year."
Gari fell silent for a moment, and then spoke quietly, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"
"No, don't be sorry," Sigismund sighed and waved her off impatiently, then dropping his quill once more. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. "You can go, Miss Bennett."
Gari glanced down at the blank parchment that remained. "But I haven't finished."
"Never mind it," Sigismund said, waving her off once more. "And don't bother coming for the rest of the week."
Gari didn't dare press her luck again. She didn't even thank him, rather gathered her things and left as fast as humanly possible.
Gari collapsed into an armchair in the Gryffindor common room as soon as she returned. She was bewildered by Sigismund's actions, and even more so by what he had said about his relationship with Professor Stiffien. She was so engrossed in her Professors' love lives that she didn't noticed Sirius entering the room until he came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. Gari jumped in surprised.
"Oh God, don't scare me like that!" Gari said, trying to catch her breath. "I almost had a heart attack."
Sirius grinned at her. "I rather like catching you off guard." Gari frowned, until she saw his eyes move toward her heaving chest.
"Ugh…God, Sirius…" Gari picked up the nearest pillow and turned in her seat to whack him in his laughing face.
The pillow caught him right in the face, and he stumbled from the unexpected attack. His laughter not dying, he looked menacingly at her. "Oh, you have no idea what you've started."
"Sirius-" She reached for another pillow, but instantly stopped when she felt Sirius fingers start moving against her ribs. Being horribly ticklish, Gari started laughing uncontrollably, while spewing out curses at her boyfriend.
"Such unladylike language," Sirius observed pulling her in his arms and tickling her everywhere.
"Sirius…stop…" Gari gasped for breath. "I'm…serious….I'm…going to…kill you…" Gari broke out in giggles again when Sirius found she was extra ticklish near her neck.
"Mmm…I'll think about it," Sirius murmured, not removing his fingers, but letting his mouth drift toward her ear.
"Sirius…" Gari's gasps became more breathy as Sirius' skilled mouth found her earlobe and gently pulled at the tender flesh. His fingers became less teasing and moved to massage her shoulders reveling in the moans he drew from her.
"Sirius," Gari brought his face up to hers, and their mouths fused together. Sirius responded with a low groan, opening his mouth to her and letting her explore.
Somehow they found their way to the couch, and in the back of Gari's mind she was utterly grateful that it was so late and no one else was in the common room. This thought left her mind when she registered that Sirius was unbuttoning the top buttons of her white shirt, revealing more flesh to his wandering fingers. His mouth drifted to her throat, and he nipped playfully at her pulse. Gari's hands found their way to Sirius' shoulders and gently rubbed them in time with his kisses. They were blissfully unaware of anything else, until James strolled into the common room, whistling merrily.
Starting for the second time that night, Gari pulled out of Sirius' arms and flushed. Sirius looked quite unabashed, rather horribly unsatisfied. James suddenly noticed them and stopped whistling.
"Oh, hello, how are you two this fine evening?" James asked pleasantly.
"I was feeling better until you showed up," Sirius muttered. Sighing and giving his friend a once over, Sirius frowned. "What's with you, mate?"
"Oh nothing," James said. "But may I remind you that for the past six years, you told me that there was no way Lily would ever, ever go out with me."
The look on Sirius' face was priceless.
"Did you drug her?" Sirius asked.
"She-what? No!" James looked appalled. "I'll have you know that she asked me out!"
"James, that's fantastic!" Gari got up and pulled James into a hug. "So when's the wedding?"
"June 6th, next year," James replied seriously before breaking into a smile. Then it vanished. "Oh Merlin, what if I screw up? What if she still fancies Gideon?"
Gari smiled. "Gideon started going out with Megan Finnigan last week."
James breathed out a sigh of relief.
"And you won't screw up," Gari said firmly. Then she paused. "As long as you don't start talking about how fantastic you are-"
"Wouldn't dream of it."
"How you've won the Quidditch Cup every year…"
"Never!"
"How you beat her in three classes last year…"
"Of course not…"
"Then as long as you don't hex Snape, you're all set."
"Hmm…that may be a problem."
November drifted by slowly for the students. It passed by without much excitement, and it seemed even drearier by the growing attacks on muggles and muggle-born witches and wizards. The Slytherins seemed particularly happy about this news. Lucius Malfoy could be seen smirking whenever the Daily Prophet came out with a new story about kidnappings or mass killings. Dumbledore was starting to look older and wearier in appearance by the day, but there was something in his blue eyes that steadily hardened and grew stronger.
Throughout the month, there were rumors of whether or not Lily Evans and James Potter were going out. All who had seen the two fight through their years at Hogwarts who heard the rumor were stunned. How could the brainy Lily Evans actually be interested in longtime pursuer and arrogant James Potter? When a Hogsmeade weekend finally came the second weekend of December, students were stunned when the rumors were confirmed and Lily and James were seen walking together through the village.
James was nervous. Lily could tell it in the way he hesitated before speaking, and the way he kept avoiding her eyes. There was something endearing about it, but Lily also couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy. She didn't mean to make him so nervous, and James was acting like he was suddenly going to sprout tentacles from his face at any moment. They walked easily through the village. It was cold, but not so much that they were freezing even in their winter coats and scarves. It was also beginning to snow, and Lily couldn't help but smile at the way snowflakes stuck to James' messy black hair.
She was grinning at it when James noticed and paused. He suddenly looked self-conscious. "What is it?"
Lily laughed. "Nothing…just your hair."
"Oh…" James ran a hand through his white speckled hair and shivered at the cold.
"No, leave it," Lily laughed again. "It looks…fine."
She had been about to say 'cute', but she could just see how James would take that. ("Cute? What do you mean 'cute'? It's completely masculine!")
They walked slowly until they reached the Three Broomsticks, where they exited the cold of winter eagerly. Almost every Hogwarts student who had gone into the village today had come into the pub, and heat engulfed the pair immediately. They managed to find a table towards the back, and Lily sat down while James went to get butterbeers. As James went up to the bar, Lily glanced over at a neighbor's table, where a man was reading 'The Daily Prophet'. Lily looked briefly at the front page, and then looked away. Suddenly, Lily did a double take and her stomach lurched as she read the headline.
MORE MUGGLE KILLINGS IN SURREY
'Oh God,' Lily thought, her mind suddenly becoming numb. 'Mum and Dad.'
James came back and was greeted by Lily's deathly pale face. He quickly set down the butterbeers and knelt down in front of Lily.
"Lily? What's wrong?" James asked, concern echoing in his hazel eyes.
"I-I…" How could Lily even form words? It was like she had just seen a car crash, and her parents had the exact same car as the one that had been torn in pieces. Her parents had lived in Surrey for years, but…what were the odds that they had been killed? Why would Death Eaters go to Little Whinging?
"Miss Evans."
Lily glanced over James head to see Professor McGonagall. The usually stern and rigid transfiguration teacher looked slightly off balance and like she might be sick.
"Miss Evans, you should go up to the castle immediately," McGonagall's lips were white. "The Headmaster has something to tell you."